Anita
Mom of three Adult Children, Grandmother of two
B.A. Elementary Education, M.A. Language & Literacy, Training in Early Childhood Education from the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation
I had always enjoyed playing with and being around young children;
this explains my choice of early jobs – babysitter, camp counselor, after school-center worker, and ultimately, teacher. However, if you asked me how well any of those jobs prepared me for the role of parent, the answer is very little. Nothing equipped me for the overwhelming exhilaration, exhaustion and sense of responsibility of having three children in less than four years.
While my previous experience gave me some understanding of childhood development, I was unprepared for the constant, never ending demands of motherhood. Only gradually, as I lived with my own children, studied, read and researched early childhood, and discussed child-rearing with other moms, did I gain an understanding of how children develop in a healthy way. That’s why I’m excited to be working with Nada as we share this essential knowledge born of personal experience and collective wisdom.
A little more about me: For more than 40 years, I’ve taught every level of students from preschool to college, with a special emphasis on adult and family education, working in Brooklyn, Detroit, Chicago, and New Mexico. I’ve also written and implemented curriculum for people studying to become early childhood educators.
My children are now in their 30s, and I have two grandchildren. If you asked my kids to describe their relationship with me from the time they were little through their teenage years into adulthood, they would say that we’ve always had a warm, trusting, open relationship, because I always respected them and made them and their friends feel comfortable. Or, as my (now-45-year-old) nephew said, “From the time we were little kids, you talked to us like we were real people. It made a little kid feel good, and it still doe
Nada
Twin Mom of two 7-year-old girls
B.S. Public and Community Health, MPH of Global Health Program Design, Monitoring & Evaluation
Nada is a mom of twin girls based in Charlotte, NC. She met Anita through a friend and participated in the first cohort of Constructivist Parenting. Nada and Anita became close friends through the experience.
Nada’s educational background is in global public health but has always felt passionate about early childhood development and the importance of science in the way we approach our children. Two of her favorite parenting books are “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish and “The Whole Brain Child” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.
Nada enjoys spending time with her family, yoga, and long walks. She never passes up an opportunity for sharing stories and experiences with friends.
I chose cherries for the logo because one of my favorite books is Cherries and Cherry Pits by Vera B. Williams. It’s a wonderful story about a young girl using her imagination and creativity to create something beautiful. By using a constructivist approach to raising children, I hope that your kids will also unleash their creativity and imagination. And… cherries are delicious!